1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to fish pole jigglers and more particularly to that kind which can control the translatory movement of the pole by variable time switching means.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The fish pole jigging devices available today consists generally of hand operated or powered devices for moving the pole up and down in an oscillating motion. Swinging the pole by hand in a jerking motion is tiring and a fisherman's arm eventually needs rest. The loss of fishing time in resting is unacceptable to the average fisherman. For this reason the powered jigging device has been developed.
In searching the prior art several patents of interest were disclosed. These included U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,758,407, 3,001,317, 3,031,790 and 4,251,939.
The fishing pole apparatus described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,758,407 concerns an electric motor, driving gears, an eccentrically operated wheel engaging the fish pole and a switch operated by a flashlight battery. The pole is supported on a trunnion mount at the forward portion of the pole and the rear portion on the eccentric wheel. Since the reel end of the pole rests on the hub between the wheel flanges the pole rises and falls as the eccentric wheels make a rolling rotation around the eccentric center. This produces a constant frequency of movement. To disrupt the frequency the hub or groove of the eccentric wheel upon which the pole rests may be contoured such that the pole will jiggle in the up and down movement.
Another device powered by a flashlight battery is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,001,317. In this case the device includes a so-called bow and saddle arrangement connected to a coil. With the bow and saddle disposed in an intermediate position in the terminals to the battery are closed causing the coil to be energized. This tilts the saddle whereupon the circuit is disrupted and subsequently the closing of the battery terminals energizes the coil again to cause a continuous oscillation of the saddle. Each time the saddle tilts the trunnion connected thereto upon which the fish pole is supported is moved upwardly and downwardly at a constant frequency.
The device shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,031,790 includes a motor, a set of gears, an eccentric crank arm connected to an agitator rod having a loop end for holding a fish pole, a transformer, rheostat and a receptacle for an electric plug. In operation the motor drives a set of meshed gears rotatably connected to a crank arm. The arm is also connected to the rear portion of the agitator rod which has a rear end pivotally mounted. As the gears rotate the crank arm urges the agitator rod up and down for one revolution of the ring gear. This motion may be changed by reversing the rotation of the motor. For example, when the rotation is clockwise the upstroke of the agitator rod will be faster than the downstroke. When the rotation is counter-clockwise the upstroke is slower than the downstroke.
The device shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,251,939 consists of a base, a fish pole holder having a hook-like end for gripping the pole, and a motor which turns a wheel made up of spaced vertical disks joined at a centrally disposed hub. A series of holes are drilled in the disks such that pins can be inserted in the holes in parallel relationship. The forward portion of the pole is positioned on one of the pins and rides downwardly on that pin until an upwardly moving pin lifts it off and moves it up to the top of the wheel. When inserting pins in various positions on the disk it is possible to jiggle the pole in the up and down movement.
In considering the various structures and means suggested by the above cited patents it appears that none provide the optimum series of up and down motion of the fish pole for catching fish generally preferred by fishermen. The opinion of most fishermen is that the pole should be jerked suddenly in the upstroke and dropped immediately in the downstroke so as to induce slack in the fish line and let the hook and bait flutter slowly downwardly in the water. Preferably, at the bottom of the downstroke there should be a pause of several seconds to allow fish to approach the bait before jerking the pole on the upstroke again.
In light of the above it is the object of the present invention to provide a portable device that will clearly reproduce the preferred up and down motion that fishermen used with hand operated poles to catch fish. This device can be manufactured inexpensively and is adaptable to most fishing waters.